Keeling Curve
The Keeling Curve is a graph that shows how the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has changed over time. Carbon dioxide is a gas that is produced when we burn fossil fuels (like coal, oil, and natural gas) and when we cut down trees.
Scientists can measure how much carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere by taking air samples from different parts of the world, like the top of a mountain or the middle of the ocean. These air samples are then analyzed in a lab to figure out how much carbon dioxide is present.
The Keeling Curve was started by a scientist named Charles David Keeling. He began taking air samples at a place called Mauna Loa in Hawaii in 1958, and has continued to do so ever since. The graph he created showed that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was increasing year after year.
This trend has continued and is causing changes in our climate. The more carbon dioxide there is in the atmosphere, the more heat gets trapped, which can lead to things like rising temperatures, melting ice caps, and more extreme weather patterns.
So, the Keeling Curve is an important tool that helps scientists understand the changes that are happening in our environment and work to find solutions to help protect our planet.
Scientists can measure how much carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere by taking air samples from different parts of the world, like the top of a mountain or the middle of the ocean. These air samples are then analyzed in a lab to figure out how much carbon dioxide is present.
The Keeling Curve was started by a scientist named Charles David Keeling. He began taking air samples at a place called Mauna Loa in Hawaii in 1958, and has continued to do so ever since. The graph he created showed that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was increasing year after year.
This trend has continued and is causing changes in our climate. The more carbon dioxide there is in the atmosphere, the more heat gets trapped, which can lead to things like rising temperatures, melting ice caps, and more extreme weather patterns.
So, the Keeling Curve is an important tool that helps scientists understand the changes that are happening in our environment and work to find solutions to help protect our planet.
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